What to put into your Citation? - hint's

It's interesting as to how much information I miss after looking at the various screens in Family Tree Maker.

I have been struggling with Citations. If you have been following this blog, you will understand the struggle.

What I was missing was right in front of me, all of the time. That is the "hints" that are one the screens that we look at.

I'll start with a screen capture of the "Free Form" Source screen, when you want to add a new Citation. I have selected a known, no template used, Source, and clicked on Add, in the upper right. Look at what is grayed out in the red box.

What the Citation Detail box says "Enter the title, page #, file #, volume, Internet address". That is what is suggested to enter into this field.

In the Citation Text box says "Enter pertinent text from the source and/or an explanation of the relevance of the data to your research". Again, that is the suggested information to enter.

What is most helpful, and I just actually read the screen, is when you use the Template Feature. My question was "What do I entered into the Citation Details and Citation Text fields"

As you may now, is that different Census Records from various years,  and what should be entered into these two field. Here is the 1870 Census Template, clicking on Add (a new Citation) you see:

I already selected the 1870 Template, by Census Year and Location. The Hints for a New Citation, in the Citation Detail says:

Enter the civil division, page number consulted, dwelling number, family number, and person(s) of interest.

Citation Text is basically the same as before:

Enter pertinent text from the source and/or an explanation of the relevance of the data to your research.

What I should have looked at these hints much earlier. Here is the hints for the 1930 Census, which is what I suggested for the 1940 Census.

The Citation Detail says:

Enter the civil division, page number consulted, enumeration district, sheet number, street name, house number, dwelling number, family number, and person(s) of interest

The Citation Text:

Enter pertinent text from the source and/or an explanation of the relevance of the data to your research.


One more example, is a World War II Draft Registration:

Citation Detail:

Enter the date the record was accessed, a description of the item, ARC or other identifying number, and credit line (how the information is credited on the website)

Citation Text: same as above.

Lesson Learned: Follow the hints:


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Copyright © 2012 by H R Worthington